Renault Etoile Filante

Infobox Automobile


name =Renault Etoile Filante
manufacturer =Renault
class =Land speed record car
body_style =No-door monoposto streamliner car
engine =Gas turbine Turboméca Turmo; Auto bhp|270|0; 28,000 rpm
length = Auto mm|4840|1
width = Auto mm|1815|1
height = Auto mm|999|1
weight = Auto kg|950|0
similar =Railton Special
designers =Fernand Picard; Albert Lory

The Renault Etoile Filante (Shooting Star in English) was Renault's first and only land speed record streamliner car ever produced.

In 1954 the French aeronautical turbines manufacturer Turboméca proposed Renault making a gas turbine technology engineered car for exalting the benefits of it and for trying to break the a speed record.The car was tested in the wind tunnel between 1954 and 1955. In 1956, Jean Hébert and a Renault Team went off to Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah. The car reached an average speed of Auto mph|192.5|1 and reached the world record for turbine engined cars.This was also to promote sales from Renault's newest car in the United States, the DauphineThe Etoile Filante later appeared at motor shows all over the world.

However, in the early sixties, the end of the gas turbine era stopped Renault from making a second car. And it's record was neglected.

In the mid 90's, it was decided that the car should be restored with a view to itrunning again. The car was completely dismantled in the workshops of Renault at the Billancourtfactory in Paris, the chassis was resprayed and the engine repaired. In front of an expectant crowd, the car was fired up and moved under its own power for the first time since 1956. It's now conserved as a part of Renault's Historical Cars Collection.